US tech-focused firm Cooley has promoted 20 lawyers to partner in its latest round.

The group is in line with the last two years’ 18- and 21-strong rounds, though sees the proportion of women drop from 80% last year to 30% this time, more in line with 2022, when women made up 39% of the round. 

The promotions are effective 1 January 2025. 

As in previous years the promotions are spread across a number of practice areas, with 16 practices represented this time. Emerging companies received the most – four, followed by commercial litigation, which welcomed two new partners. Capital markets, debt finance, technology transactions and fund formation also saw one lawyer apiece get the nod, as did securities litigation, patent counselling and prosecution and life sciences corporate partnering and licensing, among others. 

In line with previous years almost all of the promotions went to lawyers across the US, including four in San Diego. Elsewhere in California there were two promotions each in Los Angeles and San Francisco and one in the firm’s Palo Alto headquarters. The rest of the US promotions were split between New York, Boston, Washington DC and Chicago, each of which welcomed two new partners.   

This year’s cohort includes three lawyers in London, where Cooley announced new leadership in August following the defection of former London managing partner, Justin Stock, for Akin at the helm of a three-lawyer transactions team. 

In London Eric Davison has been promoted in the emerging companies practice alongside Leo Spicer-Phelps (technology transactions) and Russell Anderson (M&A). Cooley also boosted its emerging companies team in London in September with partner hires from Taylor Wessing, Goodwin Procter and White & Case, and last month recruited Gowling’s London life sciences head for its life sciences partnering and licensing practice. 

“Developing associate talent is very important to Cooley, and we are proud that as of 1 January 2025 a third of the partners in the London office will have been former associates at the firm,” said Claire Keast-Butler, co-partner in charge in London. “Promoting associates into the partnership is a critical aspect of our ambitious plans to further expand and integrate the London office.”

Keast-Butler took over as co-head of the 140-lawyer London office in August alongside James Maton, who was a founding partner of the office in 2015. 

The promotions follow Cooley shrugging off a headcount decline in 2023 to grow revenue 1.4% to a new high of $2.03bn, against an 8.2% increase in profits per equity partner (PEP) to $3.54m.  

“These talented lawyers bring a wealth of skills and knowledge to our partnership,” said Rachel Proffitt, Cooley partner and CEO. “I look forward to their future contributions to the success of our firm.”

Cooley’s 2025 partnership class includes:

Russell Anderson – London, Mergers and Acquisitions

Christophe Beauduin – New York, Life Sciences Corporate Partnering and Licensing

Max Bernstein – San Francisco, Commercial Litigation

Tara Capsuto – San Francisco, Emerging Companies

Eric Davison – London, Emerging Companies

Brian Focarino – Boston, Trademark, Copyright and Advertising

Melissa Gohlke – Washington, DC, White Collar Defence and Investigations

Kate Goodman – Chicago, Financial Services Enforcement and Regulatory

Asa Henin – San Diego, Public Companies

Edmond Lay – San Diego, Emerging Companies

Evan Leitner – New York, Capital Markets

Naomi May – San Diego, Education

Alexandra Mayhugh – Los Angeles – Santa Monica, Commercial Litigation

Ryan Montgomery – Boston, Compensation and Benefits

William Newsom – Palo Alto, Fund Formation

Sean O’Neill – Los Angeles – Santa Monica, Emerging Companies

Addison Pierce – Chicago, Debt Finance

Heather Speers – San Diego, Securities Litigation and Enforcement

Leo Spicer-Phelps – London, Technology Transactions

Shawn Yu – Washington, DC, Patent Counselling and Prosecution